Present methods and apparatus for bagging items are most typically directed toward bagging items which are supplied in bulk. Examples of such materials are fruits, vegetables, grains and sand. A given volume of these bulk items generally can be poured into any shape of open end of a bag in which the items are to be contained. However, there is also a need to bag large items, such as cylindrical items, which require the open end of the bag be opened to a circular shape. Examples of such items which have cylindrical shapes are rolls of plastic sheeting and paper towels.
It is also of interest to minimize the cost of bagging items. One way toward accomplishing this goal is to minimize the sizes of the bags in which the items are packaged. In the case of cylindrical items, it is possible to accomplish this by putting the items in bags having approximately the same outer perimeter.